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Published: February 27th 2014
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18
th February Pago Pago, American Samoa
Today we docked in Pago Pago, (pronounced Pango Pango) on the island of Tutuila, the largest of seven islands that make up American Samoa. It has a natural deep harbour which was shelled (only once during WWII) and is home to the Tuna cannery which employs up a third of population of the island. You knew about the cannery when the wind shifted every now and again!!
It was a warm and humid morning when we docked. The islands lie in the tropics with heat & humidity highest between December and April when you have the highest rainfall, which inspired Somerset Maugham’s story of Sadie Thompson entitled ‘Rain’. There is a hotel called Sadie’s on the Beach close to the berth. There are few historic sites on the island with the primary income from tourists and the cannery.
Our trip today was a short tour round the island entitled ‘Island Delights’ which says it all!!
We boarded our coach/bus (one of 6 on this trip) which was basic with natural air conditioning and headed off for the first ‘photo opportunity’, the
Flower Pot rock. All six buses arrived virtually at the same time so a mad dash for photos. Next to some lava rock formations before attending an ‘Arva’ ceremony with all tourists in the ceremonial hut. The islanders performing some local song and dance routines which made a change to some of the nightly performances on board ship!! Fresh coconut was consumed before continuing on, a village on the more Northern side to visit a Tsunami memorial, the island was hit by a tsunami in 2009 causing severe damage to villages. There is now an early warning system in place to alert the islands of impending tsunamis. It was the on to the Golf Club, I said at the beginning there were few historic sites, (this was really a comfort break), mind you the Par 3 opening hole looked inviting but not in that heat. It was up in the high eighties by this time. According to the schedule it should have been back to the ship, but we were early so they took us on a tour round the industrial area of the island, nearly as exciting as the desalination plant on Aruba (not). There was another monument to
tsunami victims (as this was by the airport). I did notice here a prehistoric monolith in the shape of a large ‘M’. One of only two on the island. Oops McDonalds. Obesity is a huge problem (Sorry) on the island so much so that there are now free classes for the likes of Zumba and other exercises.
Back to the ship, however, not without some retail shopping activity, a market within the port area, set up so all passengers had to walk through before boarding the ship. We did not disappoint the locals!!
Our first introduction to Polynesian culture/way of life, not the paradise which is conjured up from the likes of R L Stevenson. They are very religious given that every village has virtually every denomination going (up to 7 churches) and each village has its own chief. There are no cemeteries, all burials take place literally in their own back yard, as land is handed down generation to generation and no outsiders can purchase the land, it all remains in the family.
I mentioned the climate, at about 3pm the heavens opened (we were back on board) with it
drying up for Sail away. However, as we left the port (with the usual sing song) we sailed into a thunderstorm which soon put an end to the outside festivities.
Tomorrow is strange, we go straight to the 20
th February, missing out the 19
th (How cool is that)
Next stop Nuku’alofa
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